The Book of Akbar 365: CHAPTER XXVIII.
The Akbarnama (H. Beveridge), vols. I–II 365
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CHAPTER XXVIII.
365.1
of espial; and some in their utter baseness had engaged themselves in his service, and uttered flatteries to him, such as Shah Quli Naranji, Muhammad Tahir, and Lang Sarban. He in his simplicity believed them to be truth-speakers and patronised them, and supported them. For instance, Shah Quli behaved in an offensive manner and did not listen to orders, and Muhammad Tahir gave such a rude answer that he deserved to have his tongue cut out or rather to be put to death. He (Bairam) heard of this and did nothing. Lang Sarban uttered before a number of people and in his presence such rude expressions that he too was deserving of condign punishment. He himself knows what was the position and rank of Wali Beg among the Qizilbashes. Without considering his service, his lineage or his position, and mainly on account of relationship, viz., his being his (Bairam’s) brother-in-law, he brought him and put him over the great officers, so that he even gave him precedence over Saiyid Quli Mirza, who is distinguished for the height of his Saiyidship and for his connection with the sovereign. He gave Husain Quli, who has not even fought with a chicken, equal position with Iskandar Khan, Abdullah Khan, and Bahadur Khan, and gave him cultivated fiefs, while he satisfied the great Khans with waste lands. At these times in many assemblages such deeds were performed by him as to distress and trouble our capacious soul.
365.2
As we wished to please him, and regarded him as a sincere well-wisher of our family, and fully relied upon his words and actions, we considered all these unseemly actions of his as his extreme loyalty and good-will, and knowingly and intentionally passed them over with consummate benevolence. At last it was represented to us that he at the instigation of the same gang meditated rebellion, and the separating from us of the few who remained with us, and of reducing us to solitude. In order to defeat this wickedness we went from Agra towards Delhi, and wrote to him that on account of various acts which had come to light, and of speeches which had been repeated to us, we did not hold that he could serve us at this time, and that though we had received many injuries from him, we still continued to regard him as the Khan Khanan, and to style him such, and in order to comfort him we took solemn oaths that we had no design against his life, property or honour. But as we were ourselves giving our attention to affairs of government, it was considered that he should take his own position and submit what he judged proper, and that then we should according to our judgment pass orders thereon. As we had on various occasions represented that the time had come when we should address ourselves to the duties of sovereignty, it was thought that on hearing of this good news he would be pleased, and that he would be firm and constant in obedience.
365.3
But it came to our knowledge that he had utterly forgotten the favour which had been shown to him while holding his office, and the claims of our glorious family from their favour and patronage of him during forty years, and from their support of him from his cradle, and had hearkened to the words of that rebellious crew. They for their own selfish objects wished to enlist him among the rebels, and in this last stage of his life to exclude him from other-world joys and to involve him in eternal disgrace. Accordingly, from perfect devilry, baseness and arrogance, they won him over and have carried him off the (right) road. He has sent a message to the son of Iskandar to come forward in opposition, and has also sent men to Tatar Khan Panj Bhaiya to invite him to come into the Daman-i-koh and commit violence there and then come out. He himself had thoughts of Lahore, thinking that there he might lay the foundation of strife, and come into opposition. Into the imperial dominions he has introduced dissension and has endeavoured to extinguish by a cold breath the lamp of the dominion of this family which has been kindled by the eternal radiance, and kept alight by the hand of Divine power. Seemingly the veil of pride and arrogance has blinded the eyes of his understanding, and that he does not know that Verse ! Who puffs a God-lighted lamp, Sets fire to his own beard.
365.4
Since from considering all that sincerity and reliability which were clearly manifested in all his behaviour, it appeared and still appears that these actions originated in wicked men and were in reality far from himself; nor can it be believed that they are his own, for he has been nourished and cherished by this great family, and obedience to our orders is for him right and proper, we directed for the sake of demonstration that he should withdraw himself from these abominable proceedings, and that he should arrest and send to Court this lost and abandoned crew who have been the cause of the destruction of his fortune and honour, and who for their own objects support his rebellion and enmity. As we, during these five years, have respected his wishes and have not shown any recusancy, and have not gone beyond his good pleasure in anything that he proposed, whether it was acceptable to us, or inacceptable, he likewise should at once submit to this our order, and not be vexed therewith. Whenever he acts according to this order, we shall clear our heart with regard to him and entirely forgive his crimes and offences. And whenever he is inclined to serve, and there is occasion for it, we shall summon him to our service, so that the veil over him may be removed.
365.5
And as his services are still appreciated and approved by us, though he has received a thousand favours equal to them, we desire that his name, which has for years been celebrated in all countries and cities for sincerity, devotion, obedience, and reliability, may not become notorious for rebellion, contumacy and sedition, and that it be not included in the list of the Qaraca Qara Bakhts (see ante). Accordingly we make known to him the duties of obedience. Let him beware of cherishing other thoughts, and let him be assured that if out of ignorance and short-thoughtedness he leave the path, and if pride and arrogance ruin his brain and place him among the seceders, we shall proceed against him with our victorious troops, and attended by dominion and prestige, with the determination to put him down, and by the Divine favour we shall abolish him from the earth. There is hope that under these circumstances, when the fortune of our Caliphate is preluding, and his is beginning to retrograde, there will be a great victory, and that he shall be overcome by the army of fortune and put to shame and made a prisoner. Let him not show his folly by thinking that he has bestowed so many favours on his own men during these five years, in order that they might be of use in time of need. In his shortness of thought and ignorance he does not know that fortune is linked to the Divine favour. Whenever that favour does not exist, an unfaithful servant does not succeed.
365.6
Accordingly, it is transparent that most of those who called themselves sons and brothers, and who, he thought, never would separate from him, have under the guidance of auspiciousness separated from him. Those who have remained, are separating, one by one, and coming to Court. Gradually they will leave him all alone. Under these circumstances, nothing but submission and surrender will avail. Verse. The head must bend and the neck obey For whatever a just prince does is right. Finis. The Khan-Khanan, whose decline was near at hand, or rather who was going headlong into the dark night of decline, did not receive instruction from these admonitory words which were capable of constituting an auspicious code. Shall I say that they increased his disaffection? But he who knows, knows that he by his own endeavours hastened down the precipice of dishonour. In short, he went on from the pargana of Bikanir towards the Panjab. When he came near the fort of Tabarhinda, which was from the fief of Sher Muhammad Diwana, he left his son ‘Abdur Rahim and the rest of his family and his baggage in the fort with Sher Muhammad, who was one of his special intimates, and passed on. Sher Muhammad paid more regard to his real benefactor and separated from him. He took possession of all the goods and chattels that were left in Tabarhinda and took Bairam’s family to the Court.
365.7
Darvesh Muhammad Uzbeg imprisoned Muzaffar ‘Ali, who had come to fetch him, and sent him to Court, and he himself bound on the girdle of loyalty. He recognised his own liege lord and withdrew from his fictitious benefactor. When he (Bairam) came near Tharah M. ‘Abdulla Moghal put it in a state of defence and prepared for battle. Wali Beg came to Tharah and was defeated. Bravo! Whoever tries to extinguish a lamp lighted by God flings into the fire the harvest of his fortune and felicity! As it was the time of Bairam Khan’s fall, whatever he thought to be to his advantage resulted in loss. And as self-interest is a veil over the eye of counsel, he did not know what was his own good, and regarding causes of awakening as causes of somnolence, he went to the pargana of Jalandhar.